Little League World Series : Stop the Music: Irvine Routed by Taiwan, 21-1

An estimated crowd of 35,000 packed Howard J. Lamade Stadium two hours before Saturday’s Little League World Series championship game, eagerly awaiting the showdown between the Northwood All-Stars of Irvine and Hua Lian, Taiwan.

During pregame festivities, fans bopped to the beat of a brass band, clapped along with the patriotic tunes of a United States Army marching band and laughed at the antics of the Phillie Phanatic.

There were Olympic-type chants of “USA! USA!” Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth made a speech, and Tom Seaver threw out the first ball.

This festive scene on a sunny day wasn’t a slice of Americana. It was the whole pie.

Then the game started.

Taiwan scored five runs in the first inning, nine in the second and seven in the third on its way to a 21-1 rout and the World Series title.

For many who had arrived as early as 7 a.m. to stake out a good seat, the party was over before it got into full swing. By the third inning, some headed for the exits, and large patches of grass appeared on the hill beyond the outfield fence, which had been blanketed by fans at the start of the game. It wasn’t so much the defeat that disappointed the crowd. People here are used to seeing American teams get beat by Taiwan, which has won 12 titles in the last 17 years.

What was so frustrating was the lopsided score, and the sloppy game Irvine played. The fans were expecting a contest, not a conquest.

If ever there was a U.S. team to challenge Taiwan, Irvine seemed to be it. Of its 18 straight victories, 12 were shutouts, including 10 by ace right-hander Aron Garcia, Saturday’s starter.

Irvine had played two outstanding World Series games, defeating Dover, N.H., 13-0, and Chesterfield, Ind., 8-1, and the players had to be even more fired up when the team theme song, “La Bamba,” blared over the public address system before the game.

But when it started, Irvine got bombed.

Taiwan loaded the bases in the first inning on an error and three walks, and all three runners scored on successive wild pitches by Garcia. Heck of a way to get yourself out of a bases-loaded jam.

But that was only the start of it. Taiwan scored nine runs in the second inning on seven hits, including Pang Yu-Long’s grand slam over the right-center field fence.

Yu-Long also hit a two-run homer in the third inning, when Taiwan scored seven runs on four hits. Wang Chih-Kwou and Lin Yi-Hung added two-run homers in the inning, Chih-Kwou’s blast carrying well over the left-field fence and landing on the top of the hill.

Irvine, which had made only one error in its two tournament victories, made five Saturday, and Garcia, who pitched a no-hitter in the first game, walked six and threw four wild pitches.

Manager Bob Garcia, Aron’s father, was feeling a little helpless in the dugout. “I wish I could have put on a uniform, gone out there and done something,” he said.

Irvine finally did in the third inning, scoring its only run when Geoff Ebdon stole home after Taiwan catcher Shih Gin-Shou had tried to pick Garcia off second.

Garcia pitched 2 innings--long enough to give up 21 runs (13 earned) and 13 hits. His father was forced to leave him on the mound because he didn’t think he had anyone else to turn to.

Little League rules prohibit players from pitching on consecutive games, and his No. 2 and 3 pitchers, Chris Greinke and Ryan Jones, both pitched Thursday.

Garcia’s No. 4 pitcher, second baseman Ryan O’Toole, had a sore thumb, but the manager had to go to him in the third inning. Enough was enough.

O’Toole, 11, surprisingly held Taiwan hitless over the last 2 innings.

“I said the only way we would lose was if we beat ourselves, and that’s exactly what happened,” Garcia said.

Not exactly. Taiwan helped a bit, too.